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Wales rugby to take inspiration from round-ball cousin, says skipper Lake / Photo: © AFP/File
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Wales rugby to take inspiration from round-ball cousin, says skipper Lake
There have been large periods of time in Welsh history when football has had to live in the shadow of its oval-balled cousin, rugby union.
Recently Warren Gatland, in his first spell as Wales rugby coach, oversaw a period of unmatched success that saw the team make it two Rugby World Cup semi-finals (2011, 2019) and win three Six Nations Grand Slams.
The football team, championed by Gareth Bale, also caught the public's imagination by making the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships -- their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup -- and also the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Welsh rugby team, with new coach Steve Tandy installed after Gatland's disastrous second spell in charge, are now mired in a run of poor results.
Two wins over Japan, in July and last weekend, are the sole victories in the last 21 matches.
But Wales skipper Dewi Lake says he hopes his team can take inspiration from Welsh football ahead of taking on New Zealand on Saturday.
Craig Bellamy's team thrashed North Macedonia 7-1 this week to set up a Football World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Should Wales wins that, they would play a home semi-final against the winners of Italy-Northern Ireland for a place in next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
"We were all down around the TV watching them play," said Lake of his footballing counterparts.
The two Wales teams train side-by-side at a hotel complex west of Cardiff, a pristine rugby paddock juxtaposed with a football pitch.
"The way they played excited the nation and that's something we've spoken about as a group," Lake said.
"It's our job to reignite the flame in supporters' bellies, for them to feel energised when they're in that stadium or at home watching us.
"That's something the football team did very well, so it's on us to repeat it this weekend."
On the rugby pitch, Wales have lost their last 33 matches against New Zealand. Their last victory came back in 1953.
"Wales have always been massive underdogs in any kind of international Test match against a team like New Zealand," said Lake.
"It's always been loved by us being underdogs, kind of not being given a chance, I suppose.
"It's about going out there and doing everything we can to win, because ultimately that is what we want."
P.Thomas--SFF
